Lockwood & Co. Review: The Adventures of The New Ghostbusters On Netflix
Cast: Ruby Stokes, Cameron Chapman, Ali Hadji-Heshmati, Ivanno Jeremiah, Luke Treadaway, Morven Christie
Director: Catherine Morshead, Joe Cornish, William McGregor
Streaming Platform: Netflix (from 27th Jan)
Filmyhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars) [yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Immersing us in a chilling reality, Lockwood & Co. is a new teen series leaning towards supernatural horror. Formed for the moment by a single season of eight episodes of about 40 minutes each, the series is written and directed by British director Joe Cornish (Attack the block, Antman), and is based on the novel series of the same name by Jonathan Stroud. This first season of Lockwood & Co. tells the story of the first two novels, so a sequel is foreseeable (and desirable). In the cast, we mainly find new and emerging figures, including the actress Ruby Stokes (Francesca Bridgerton in the series Bridgerton) as Lucy Carlyle, Cameron Chapman as Anthony Lockwood and Ivanno Jeremiah (Black Mirror: shut up and dance) as Inspector Barnes.
Lockwood & Co. Review: The Story Plot
In a reality where ghosts, called visitors, populate the streets and houses of London, many young people supervised by adults are busy fighting them. Many children and teenagers have developed powers of perception of ghosts, such as being able to identify and defeat them more easily. Among these, Lucy Carlyle, just 13 years old, is forced by her mother to work for a local ghost-busting agency; after years of training and friendship with her partner Norrie, a sad incident in a haunted house convinces Lucy to leave her home for a new life in London. Here she is welcomed into Lockwood & Co., a small ghost-busting agency run by just two guys, Anthony Lockwood and George Karim, with no adult supervisors. The three will have many thrilling adventures together in which they will assert their skill before Inspector Barnes, and in which Lucy will learn more about her great power.
Beyond the thin veil that separates fantasy from reality, ghosts and spirits live in a different world. They used to be both men and women, but now they are just unwelcome wanderers whom nobody wants to live with. Surprising deaths, strange appearances, and disappearances are discussed in the media. Even though some people believe that Jack the Ripper has returned, the reality is far worse: There are ghosts, but none of them seem to be good. No one wanted to believe it at first, but the truth is real and as icy as the Grim Reaper’s hand: They are everywhere, ready to appear out of nowhere, haunting places, posing a threat to individuals, and continuing to wreak havoc on others’ lives. Sometimes out of retaliation and other times out of boredom, but more than once just for fun and without feeling sorry for anyone.
A young “Hearer,” Lucy Carlyle (Ruby Stokes), possesses psychic abilities that allow her to perceive ghosts. She has a difficult and conflicting childhood with her mother, who does not care for her in any way. The girl fled her home and made her way to London, knocking on the doors of various agencies until she was the one who opened them for Lockwood and Co., who decided to open their doors to her. Anthony Lockwood (Cameron Chapman), a boy who is slightly older than Lucy, and George Karim (Ali Hadji-Hesmati), a character who prefers not to give the newcomer much confidence because he sees her as just a distraction, run the agency. Lockwood and Co. aren’t as strong in the field as many other agencies, and it doesn’t have as many offices or extensive facilities. However, it does have one advantage that many others don’t: a spot for brunch.
In these circumstances, no one would work at Lockwood and Co. for more than three months, unless they were desperate or doing so to gain experience and grow professionally. Anthony and George, who are forced to share a room with a new roommate to make ends meet and avoid unwanted attention, have no idea why Lucy decided to embark on this new adventure. This is no easy task, especially given that they are looking for something that will also interest a lot of other agencies. Something extremely significant, potent, and dangerous.
Lockwood & Co. Review and Analysis
The theme of ghosts is very well-known and popular in both fiction and cinema. Just think of Ghostbusters, a well-known 1984 cult starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd. Unlike the comedy Ghostbusters, in Lockwood & Co. the narrative about the visitors takes on a darker tone. All the episodes are dotted with scenes that convey a certain suspense to the viewer, almost bordering on horror. An example appears during one of the missions of the three in a haunted mansion outside London, where in a dungeon they are surrounded by a multitude of ghosts of ancient monks. Being a teen series, the plot and the themes are addressed to balance the presence of these sinister scenes.
A certain affinity between Lucy and Lockwood himself seems to be central already from the first episodes of Lockwood & Co. This particular synergy is also very noticeable during their ghost-hunting adventures and becomes so strong that George feels left out of the two. Although the relationship between the two is not yet well defined, in the last few episodes there are various topical moments, the classic moments before the kiss, which lead the viewer to consider them a new ship in the series.
The supernatural element is developed in the series with relatively simple special effects, especially in the representation of the visitors, but still effective. In any case, the general atmosphere of mystery is accentuated by the presence of many elements hidden from the viewer’s eyes. The series hints at how visitors have not always been part of everyday life in London. It is clear that in a particular historical moment not too past, perhaps fifty or sixty years earlier, the “Problem” began. George himself proves skeptical of the motivations given by the government and believes in some form of conspiracy or secret cause that has not been made known to the citizens, and not even to us spectators.
Regarding youth powers and ghosts, audiences can glean more and more information as the episodes go on. There is no narrative voice that poses some form of background, but it is still possible to understand from other ways. For example, it is made known to the viewer how the powers of perception are not final but fade over the years. Furthermore, from the first episodes, we can discover the classification of visitors into three types.
Even though some things have changed, this doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. However, it does improve and deepen some important parts of the story. Even if a second season hasn’t been announced yet, it could give the wildest London agency in its industry many more ideas. We anticipate Lockwood and Co’s soon-to-be-reopen doors. The supernatural element is developed in the series with relatively simple special effects, especially in the representation of the visitors, but still in an effective way
Lockwood & Co. Review: The Last Words
An aura of mystery also surrounds Lockwood himself. While being brave and protective of George, and especially of Lucy, there are many secrets that he hides about his past, locked in the door above the stairs of Lockwood & Co. Lucy helps him open up to them, and makes him feel loved. But there are still many questions that remain unanswered at the end of this season: How did the Trouble begin? What secrets does Lockwood hold? Looking forward to a second season to find out!
